Human augmentation: the role of design in the design of on-body interfaces for cognitive-sensorial wellbeing

Human Augmentation is the set of practices and disciplines that involve the use of technology as an integral part of the human body, aiming at assisting, substituting or augmenting human sensorial, physical and cognitive capabilities. Contributions in the field are mostly related to technology-centered perspectives, aiming at providing useful, safe and usable augmentations to address immediate needs, generally to improve and support performance. A human-centered approach on the topic offers new perspectives on the interpretation of human needs, going beyond functionality and usability. Investigating new emerging needs, desires and expectations of users willing to integrate augmentation technologies into their everyday life is essential in defining also novel design approaches. Therefore, involving Design Research and Practice in this field is important for the development of interactive on-body technologies that leverage a human-centered approach. Design-based approaches and tools such as Human-Centered Design (HCD), Design Thinking and Design Fiction can offer a viable basis for this exploration, while a reinterpretation and combination of these might be useful in future design developments in the research area of Human Augmentation. In particular, the topic offers interesting opportunities for design-based intervention with regard to the development of wearable and integrated interfaces that can restore or enhance cognitive and sensorial abilities that are not immediately associated with functional user needs, such as biological capabilities that are innate in humans and might be weakened or extinguished. Through theoretical research and practical experimentation, the intersection of Design Research and Practice and Human Augmentation will be investigated with the aim of offering a contribution to the discussion and development of the matter in the perspective of human-centered augmenting technologies.